


One Night Stand Off

by Croftle



Category: Ocean's 8 (2018)
Genre: AU, Angst, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Flustered Gays, Humor, Maybe - Freeform, Mystery, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-02-11
Packaged: 2019-10-04 22:46:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17313272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Croftle/pseuds/Croftle
Summary: Debbie wakes up with a dreadful headache to find out that a complete stranger is in her bed. After kicking her out, things between them soon change when Debbie figures out what happened to this tall, blonde, suit-wearing stranger and why she was there in the first place.(Set in an AU where Debbie’s an artist... not a con artist.)Don't let the tag order fool you.The angst is real.





	1. An Unexpected Introduction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys! I hope you enjoy reading this first chapter of this story. :)

The golden morning light shown through the slightly open blinds, decorating the previously dark room with warmth, glittery light and the welcome news of a new day. The birds chirped in joy, as if telling each other merry little jokes while the branches and leaves they were perched on swayed in a synchronized dance. It was most certainly a sight to behold, it was like living inside a Disney movie.  
...

  
It was dreadful.

Debbie tried her hardest to cover herself in blankets and pillows, to leave her in the pitch black darkness she was in merely an hour ago. She groaned, the pain in her temples felt like the pillow was teeming with iron nails as she squeezed her eyes together. The light somehow managed to snake through the layers upon layers she was buried in.

  
‘What happened yesterday?’ She asked herself. She honestly couldn't remember, but judging by the terrible headache and the feeling of cotton in her mouth, she could piece it together. She doesn't remember drinking that much, she rarely did. Tammy would have stopped her from doing so, being the mom-friend she is.

  
All of a sudden, a bright light shines across the interior of the blankets where she was, and a vibration could be both felt and heard. She groans again and mutters a string of curses. What was her phone doing here? She looked at the way too bright screen and, speak of the devil, it was a message from Tammy.

_Congrats on the successful exhibition!!! I'm soooo so sorry I couldn't attend, my husband is apparently unable to take care of the kids for more than an hour. Aaaanyway, I'll see you soon!! Well, in about an hour :)_  
_~Tim Tam_

‘Right, she didn't come and- wait. In an hour? Shit... it must be noon or something...’ Debbie thought. She could somehow here Tammy’s all too excited voice in her head and her temples spiked in pain once again. She let a few seconds pass, trying to remain as still as possible for this headache to settle, but... she kept moving? No, it wasn't her. The weight was shifting by her left side.

  
“Are you okay?” She heard a woman ask, her voice laced with concern. Before the latter could properly sit up, Debbie let out a shout and scrambled off the bed, pulling the blankets off with her. Her nose scrunched up at the ever increasing pain in her head, but her attention was currently elsewhere.

  
“What-“ She stopped herself from shouting because her own sheer volume made her brain feel like it was melting, “the fuck is happening? Who are you? And what are you doing in my bed?”  
She covered herself with the blankets, assuming that this was a one night stand caused by her drunken stupor.

  
The woman sat up, blonde eyebrows knitting together in either confusion or pain... or both as one of her hands presses on the side of her ribs.

  
“First of all, language. And secondly, way to be grateful. Christ...” she says in an Australian accent before groaning as she adjusts her position, “Artists are so rude these days-“

  
“Answer me.” Deb replied and the woman looked at her with steely blue that had an amused glint to them.

  
“I'll answer them in the order you asked me.” She pulled up her hand and lifted up a finger with each answer, “I don't know, you don't need to know and... I don't know.”

  
“Bullshit.”

  
She dropped her hand and an eyebrow lifted on the woman's face at the challenge, moving her platinum bangs slightly. “I'm telling you, I seriously have no-“ She stopped talking before trying to hold back her shit-eating grin, “Why are you covering yourself?” This time both her eyebrows furrowed in a look of confusion and pure amusement.

  
At those words Debbie notices that... she had clothes on and so did the other woman. So... not a one night stand? With some redness taking over her cheeks, she drops the sheets down and pinches the bridge of her nose.

  
“God... my head feels like a helicopter crashed in there and spinney things are still... spinning. Can you just tell me what the hell is going on?”

  
“Rotor blades.” The blonde said, resting her head on the headboard while looking at the ceiling.

  
There was a beat of silence.

  
“What?”

  
“Rotor bl-“

  
“No I heard you just- what are rotor blades?” Debbie said, impersonating the other woman's accent badly while saying the last two words.

  
“They're what the... spinney things are called.” The woman does a terrible American accent to retaliate that.

  
Debbie runs a hand through hair. Talking to herself, “I have a hangover, I need to get out in less then an hour and I have a stranger in my bed who apparently has no idea how she got here. Unless I'm in a sitcom, this doesn't make any sense.”

  
“Because sitcoms usually make sense?” The woman asks.

  
“Yeah... they're all really stupid, aren't they?” She nods, practically forgetting that she didn't know this person... then shakes her head, “Oh for god’s- can you please get out?”

  
“Don't have to tell me twice.” She muttered under her breath as she strained to shuffle out of the bed.

  
“I heard that!” Deb said.

  
“Had no intention otherwise.”

  
Debbie groaned in annoyance, watching the woman move her legs off the side of the bed to sit on the edge. She was dresses in... honestly amazing looking clothes. It’s surprising that none of the outfit wrinkled. She was wearing an emerald green, velvet suit that was perfectly fitted. The hands that rested on the side of the bed were riddled with rings but she somehow made it work.

  
“I can feel your staring.” She said in an amused voice.

  
“I'm just- waiting for you to get up and leave.” She cleared her throat, not moving from where she was.

  
“Alright, alright.” She said with a chuckle.

  
She stood up slowly, her hand never leaving the side of her ribs, and started walking through the hallway to the door of the apartment; Debbie follows suit. The blonde woman looks around Debbie’s apartment, “Nice place.” Debbie doesn't respond. She opens the door, turns around and gives her a salute, before turning back and walking out, pulling the door closed with her.  
Debbie sighed and let her previously tense shoulders relax and turns back to the bedroom. “What the hell was that?” She asks herself.

  
She hears something fall in the hallway outside her front door, and silence after that.  
‘What now...’ she thinks to herself as she opens the door.

  
She gasps.  
Apparently what fell was not a something but a someone. The woman was there, on the ground, unmoving.

* * *

 

“What?! Who is she?” Tammy said, her voice rising in pitch. Debbie pulled the phone away from her ear to reduce its volume, then placed it back against her ear.

  
“I don't know! I just woke up and she was there.” She looked at the unconscious woman on the stretcher as the ambulance they were in rocked and swayed to move through traffic.

  
“Do you know her name? Anyone to contact?”

  
“No! I'm telling you, I literally have no clue as to who she is.” Her free hand moved frantically while talking, a habit she has when she's about to freak out.

  
“Yeah right.”

  
“I'm serious!”

  
“So let me get this straight... yesterday, after your painting exhibition, you went to a bar, then it's a blur. The next morning, you wake up with a terrible hangover and a stranger in your bed.”

  
“...Yep.”

  
“Sweetie, you had a one night stand.”

  
“What? No! At least I don't think so.” Debbie realized that she started to practically shout and dialled it down, opting for whispering in a panicked manner.

  
“Why not?”

  
“We were both clothed.” She hears the other snort at her response.

  
“So? Everyone is into different shit.” Tammy said with a laugh.

  
Deb takes a deep breath to keep herself from shouting at her best friend while in an ambulance filled to the brim with nurses and an unconscious woman.

  
“Tim Tam, thank every god you know of that I'm not there next to you or I would whoop your ass.” She whispered.

  
A nurse looked at her and furrowed his eyebrows, she smiled at him in the most polite way she could fathom as she heard Tammy laugh on the other end.

The ambulance comes to a halt and the back doors open, the bright light a stark contrast to the previously dim interior of the ambulance. She quickly tells Tammy that they've arrived and hangs up, feeling genuine concern for this woman.

  
Who is she? What happened to her?  
So many questions... hopefully they'll all be answered soon enough; because despite Debbie’s initial annoyance towards the other woman, she seemed... nice. And what if, whatever happened to her, is because of her?

Will that woman even remember what happened?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this first chapter! I have an idea as to where this story will go, but any suggestions in the comments are always welcome! It’s always fun to make this a collaborative story as well :)


	2. Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Upon arriving at the hospital, more things are discovered about the stranger... and even about Debbie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy this chapter! (A bit of a warning, there is implied abuse and violence in this chapter and will be present in future chapters as well.)

“Nothing on her. No bag, no phone, nothing. Are you sure you don't know her?” The nurse looked at her sceptically, the notes he wrote have seemingly created some suspicion within him; which makes sense, considering the fact that none of this adds up. Hell, even the woman didn't know what the hell happened… presumably.

 

“Look man, I know as much about this situation as you do.” Debbie ran her fingers through her hair as she walked towards the woman that was relocated to a hospital bed, feeling really uncomfortable and uneasy. Debbie absolutely hated going into hospital wards, mainly of this hospital. Trying to distract herself from this feeling, she inspected the woman.

 

She looked... weak? Her previously mischievous eyes were closed, sunken. The smirk on her lips now a mirthless frown. She couldn't make sense of it all. She seemed alright this morning. “Is she okay? What happened to her?” Her voice was laced with concern now.

 

“We don't have any concrete causes as to why she's in this state but... she isn't in her greatest shape. Several broken ribs, a large portion of her torso is bruised and she has a surface wound on the right side of her hip. While we can not confirm this since there literally isn't any evidence, the wound is very similar to that caused by a knife or similar weapon.” He states these points in a casual, monotone voice, like ordering the same thing over and over again at a restaurant.

 

Debbie furrows her brows, “Maybe she got in a fight?”

 

The nurse shook his head, “No, there would have been signs that she fought back, and most people aim for the head when in close-quarter combat. The damage here is really oddly placed.”

 

It was silent in the room for a moment. Debbie's heart dropped at the words. If the placement of the damage was intentional, then the situation could be more dire than she thought.

 

“I need to check up with the other patients, ring me up if anything happens.”

 

Debbie nods, watching him leave the room and close the door with a soft click.

 

After standing there for about a minute, trying to wrap her head around all of this, she sat down on the chair next to the bed. She fished out her phone from her pocket to check the time, then found Tammy’s contact. Three consecutive rings, before the last one ended abruptly.

 

“Hey Dee.”

 

Debbie whispers, so as to not disturb the woman, “Hi um… I might not be able to make it to that café you told me about.”

 

She heard a chuckle, “Let me guess, you’re still at the hospital because you just simply couldn’t end it at only _one_ night!” Tammy continues in the most dramatic voice she could muster, “Hence ho, her heart yearns-“

 

“Tam.”

 

Tammy snorts, then continues with a warm voice, “I’ll see you soon, Deb. I’m on my way.”

 

“What, no you don’t have to-“

 

And Tammy cuts off before she could let the other finish.

 

Debbie pinches the bridge of her nose, but the smile behind her hand couldn’t help but grow. She honestly didn’t deserve Tammy. The latter is so patient with her and her stoic façade she keeps up, slowly but surely breaking through that wall Debbie built and managing to make her crack a smile. It’s surprising how such kindness exists, and sometimes, unfortunately, one can have too much of it. Tammy is a prime example of this, regarding her husband. Debbie frowns at the thought of him. He lies, cheats, even takes money from his and Tammy’s joint bank account to spend on his own wants. Be it expensive watches, that car he once saw in that movie one time, or even _prostitutes_ , he’d rather spend his children’s future college fund than his extensive wage. And what does Tammy do? _Forgive him._ God! If Debbie could go up to him and just break those pricey, dumbass looking glasses right into his eyes without making Tammy worried sick, she would gladly do it. Without any hesitation whatsoever. Honestly though? The entire world doesn’t deserve her, and yet there she is forgiving the most stereotypical terrible husband and putting up with an artist that pretends to not know what a sense of humor is.

 

 

 

Huffing out a sigh, snapping out of yet another train of thought that would never end unless it’s tracks were destroyed, and looked around for the closest piece of paper she could find. Might as well do something with her time while she waits for her friend to arrive. Thankfully, there were a number of magazines, pamphlets and other sheets located both on and in the bedside table of the ward, presumably to keep the patients entertained during the long hours of recovery. Selecting one that seemed the most empty, she pulled out a pen from her shirt pocket -she never leaves the house without one- and starts to sketch whatever comes to mind. From a cartoony version of herself, to a random flower that was at the side of the bed. She also drew a wrecked helicopter with the words ‘spinny things’ pointed towards the addressed portion of the drawing. With a smile, she turned over the page.

With a slow breath, she looked around the room, trying to figure out what she wanted to draw next, before her eyes centered on the woman in front of her. Despite the weakness in her expression, there was still something inherently strong about her. Her sunken eyes were crowned by arching, mischievous eyebrows that gave her a confident look. Her frown was framed by light creases that show a history of laughter and gleeful shit-eating grins. Her eyelids simply a boundary that couldn’t contain the strength and allure of her azure orbs. Debbie thinks that it’s the artist within her talking, but despite the state she’s in, it’s clear that this will only be a mere bump in her life that she will easy walk right over.

 

Snapping out of it, she remembered what she was initially doing. Adjusting the grip on her pen and scooting over to the edge of the chair to get closer to the woman, the image on the paper in the palm of her hand begins to take shape. From guidelines, to outlines, to shading, Debbie drew the woman as she saw her, but with a smile on her face. It was a gentle curve on her lips, but one that alluded to mischief and wisdom as well. Next two the drawing, the wrote a simple word.

 

_‘Blue.’_

 

She leaned back on the chair, looking at her handiwork. Pleased with the result and not having any more space on which to draw, she placed the paper down on the small table where she initially found it. With nothing else to do, she simply tucked the pen behind her ear and looked around the room.

 

The room was barren, apart from the essentials one expects to find in a hospital ward. The white walls and light blue floors were pristinely clean, sickeningly so; and with the woman changed into a robe with similar colors, it made the sight before her all the more unsettling. The only change in color came from a bag that had the woman's belongings put in it. Brushing off the anxious feeling building up in the pit of her stomach, she lets her curiosity take its place.

 

Upon inspecting the contents of the bag, nothing much was there, only the clothes she previously had on. She rummaged through, 'There has to be _something_ ,' she thought to herself.

 

She wasn’t going to lie to herself, the velvet of the suit was really, really soft. It almost distracted her; but then she felt something cold, metallic, at the bottom of the bag. She grabbed it between two of her fingers and pulled it up. Upon pulling the vest with it, she realised that there was something between the inner and outer layers of fabric. It felt like a... Plaque? Badge, maybe?

 

“Man, artists really are rude. Can't even have some privacy...” The woman groaned as she tried to sit up.

 

Debbie dropped the object back in the bag and stood, walking towards the blonde.

 

“Don't move, most of your ribs had a rough time.” She smiled as relief washed over her, the initial unease washed away with it.

 

“Oh don't worry, I feel it.” Her voice was hoarse.

 

Then Debbie's mind clicked, “Hey, when did you wake up? Could've told me.” She complained as she sat back down on the chair next to the bed.

 

The blonde let's out a chuckle, before cringing and placing her hand on her ribs. “Now where's the fun in that?”

 

A beat of silence.

 

“What happened to you? Who are you?” Debbie asked.

 

The blonde gave a half shrug, simply brushing it off as if she only scraped her knee.

 

“That's unimportant... Don't you have to call a nurse or something?” She tried to sit up further, her face contorting in pain as she does so.

 

With that Debbie quickly went to her, placing her hand on her shoulder to keep her from moving further, “Don’t move, you’re going to hurt yourself.”

 

“Wasn’t planning on doing otherwise.” She settles back down.

 

She smiled, “I’ll go get the nurse.”

 

And with that she went out the hall to call a nurse, realizing that she won't get any information out of her for now.

 

The hall was quite busy, with doctors, nurses and visitors bustling around the place in a somehow organised chaos. Debbie glanced around to maybe find the nurse that was in the ward she was in previously, but he was nowhere to be found which, to be honest, is perfectly understandable considering the large number of people here. Considering that, she went to the main desk at the end of the hall, to inform anyone who’s working there that the woman she knows nothing about has woken up.

 

At the desk was a woman, probably in her early fifties or so, with dark brown, heavily teased hair. Despite the crazy hair-do, she somehow made it work. She had a name tag pinned to her shirt, ‘Rose’.

 

Upon noticing that Debbie was at the front of the desk, the woman looked up from her glasses which were set low on her nose. She gave her a small smile before asking her what she needed. Deb informed her that the woman woke up, and the other checked the monitor in front of her, before giving her a confused smile.

 

“Yes, we… have already sent a nurse to check in, has he not arrived yet? It might be my error, though. I’m still new here.” She gave a nervous chuckle, before adjusting her glasses, “So, he hasn’t come in yet?”

 

“No. Oh is it the same nurse that came in before? John… was it?”

 

She looked back down, through her small glasses, and her brows furrowed.

 

“That’s strange, he must be new here. The nurse’s name is Claude.”

 

Debbie felt a shiver run down her spine and anxiety settle at the pit of her stomach at the meet utterance of that name. She brushed it off however, since it was obviously a coincidence.

 

“Huh… never heard of the surname ‘Becker’ before.”

 

 

 

She froze in place, eyes wide. It all settled into place in her mind.

 

_Oh._

 

Before Rose could continue, Debbie ran back to the ward, squeezing and weaving through people and even pushing some away. Breathless, she opened the door and scanned the room. Nothing changed, thank god, apart from the woman who was sitting on the edge of the bed… in her clothes. She had no time to question it, however, instead running over to her.

 

“We need to go, Blue. _Now.”_ She managed to say between heavy breaths.

 

She raised an eyebrow, but before she could give her clever retort Debbie already had her arm strung over her shoulder.

 

“Please.” Debbie sounded desperate, and with that Blue nodded and started to walk as fast as she could alongside her.

 

She opened the door quickly, walking briskly -almost dragging the weaker woman along with her- to the exit. People around her looked at them, confused. Some of them attempted to ask them if everything was okay but they just kept going. The hall seemed to never end as her heart beat in her throat. Blue seemed to get heavier with each step, leaning on her more and more.

 

The exit.

 

She huffs out a breath as she put a hand on the door. Before she went out, she looked to the side, checking on the woman. Her head was hung low, hand pressed against her side as she weakly attempted to maintain her balance. She looked back forward and pushed down the handle. It had resistance, more than usual; and when she looked up, fear welled up in her like never before.

 

A figure. Dressed in an ordinary nurse’s uniform, all light blue scrubs. Her eyes raised further, and her frantic gaze met something else light blue.

 

Claude Becker’s eyes, human in form, animalistic in nature. Their primal glint made her legs feel like buckling her as fear took over her. He looked back for a moment, at something on the road, before letting go of the handle and walking off; disappearing as quickly as he appeared.

Debbie almost sobbed, before snapping out of it and pushing open the door to the open area that served as both a car park and waiting area for visitors and the like. Looking to where Becker had glanced, she heaves a sigh of relief.

 

Tammy.

 

She waved excitedly, but then noticed that something was clearly, _really_ wrong. She ran towards them.

 

Debbie’s vision was blurred with tears that built up, previous trauma all coming back and bubbling over the edge.

 

“Deb-“

 

“ _Car._ ” She sobbed, “ _Please.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! Your comments are what motivated me to add a second instalment, so I really appreciate it :D Let me know in the comments what you thought about this, and even some of your theories regarding this story. It would be really interesting to see what y'all think about how the situation ended up like this ;)
> 
> Thanks again! Have a wonderful day <3
> 
> (P.S. If there are any errors regarding spelling, grammar and the like, please do let me know so I can fix them!)


	3. Darling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Debbie's walls seem to be breaking, how will that cope with the rest of the situation at hand?

With Blue laying down on the back seats, Debbie yanked the front car door open and sat down, before slamming it shut. Tammy followed suit and started the car as quickly as she could.  

 

This was bad. Really, really bad. Tammy knew that Debbie never _expressed_ emotions, she just pushed them to the side, no matter how strong the feeling; be it positive or negative. So, seeing her like this, with eyes wide and watery, brows set in a fearful furrow and chest moving rapidly, made Tammy expect worse than the worst. She was her best friend, and she _still_ never saw her like this. She is so isolated when it comes to her emotions that she only saw her cry once when Debbie thought she had already left. And now she’s here, on the edge of sobbing panicky tears and staring down at her legs. No, through her legs. She wasn’t here. She was in another place entirely. 

 

A stone cold feeling set deep in her heart, and the car revved off the car park before anyone could stop them. 

 

“Deb… what the hell happened?” She asked, trying to keep herself as calm as possible, which was really difficult considering the fact that her best friend was in such distress. 

 

She didn’t reply, her eyes glossed over and her gaze burning, like staring at her worst nightmare with tears brimming, practically hanging by her eyelashes. 

 

“ _Deb.”_  

 

Still in that state, she didn’t respond for a while and starts shaking, before simply saying, “He’s back.” 

 

The tears that brimmed her eyes now spilled over, leaving glossy streams of pure despair down her face, and Tammy’s mind began racing. 

 

 

Her grip on the steering wheel caused her knuckles to whiten, her teeth gritted together while fighting the urge not to drive back and make him wish he was never alive to begin with. 

 

She was livid, absolutely enraged by the memories that flooded back to her. Claude Becker… that son of a bitch put Debbie on the edge of life and death and the only thing that saved her was pure luck itself. She’d rather amputate a limb than see Deb suffer, but the word ‘suffer’ was the biggest understatement of the century when it came to him. The things she’d do to end that vile man’s wrath… they go beyond words. Tammy might be the kindest person Debbie knows, but she’s also the most ruthless whenever it comes to the people she cares about; and this is most certainly no exception. 

 

Her thoughts were pulled away by the sound of Debbie’s panicked breaths, and Tammy pulled over to the side of the road. Ignoring the car horns caused by her sudden turn, she turned towards Debbie as she put her hands on each of the other’s shoulders. 

 

“Hey… Deb, listen to me… _Deb_.” 

 

But Debbie couldn’t hear her, all she could hear was her heartbeat. Fast, erratic, and deafening. 

 

What kind of sick joke was this? All the walls she built up to keep everything that happened to her, every memory, feeling or scar away from her, crumbled down before her in a matter of seconds. A single utterance of his name, one _look_ at him and her eyes brim with tears of pure fear and grief. Oh, how she mourned for herself. For the version of herself that once was. For the version of herself that bled out of her with his sharp words. His words, his touches and advances, are what made her who she is now: a broken shell of a woman taped together by layers and layers of unreasonable self-reassurance and white lies. He shattered her and she tried to collect every piece of herself endlessly. Every piece that got carried away with the wind of his cruelty, every piece that was hidden by his inarguable lies. Every piece of _her._  

 

But several pieces were still clearly missing, and she didn’t know if she could do anything about it anymore. 

 

She felt a hand on her shoulder and she flinched away, her red, swollen, wide eyes flitting from the hand to Tammy’s face. Her lips were moving. 

 

Tammy’s heart raced, feeling her eyes burn slightly at how she flinched away from her. 

 

“Debbie, it’s me. Please.” She said, her voice breaking at the last word. Her hand moved slowly to Debbie’s, to try and ground her to where she really is and not where she’s thinking about. 

 

Debbie’s eyes looked at her, a blurry image of the one person she actually trusts in this world and she’s here, looking at her in this state. Beneath the trail of tears, a red hue took over her cheeks, feeling embarrassed, before apologizing quietly. 

 

“I’m… so sorry.” 

 

Tammy looked confused, “For what?” 

 

It was silent, and Debbie looked down into her own lap, then towards the road ahead of them. 

 

“We really should move.” She said. Nothing more, nothing less. 

 

———————•——————— 

 

The door clicked to a close behind her, and her shoulders sunk down as she took a breath. She heard Tammy sigh as well. 

 

“Well, at least she isn’t heavy,” she said, running her fingers through her blonde locks to try and brush them away from her face. She looked at the woman laying on the sofa in the living room, before putting her hand on Debbie’s shoulder, “Tell me when she wakes up, okay? You should really get some rest as well, since you most probably didn’t sleep at the hospital.” 

 

Tammy let go and began walking away towards the stairs that lead to the upper floor of her house. She turned around as soon as she began walking up the steps, “Let me know if you need anything.” 

 

And with a smile, she went up the stairs. 

 

 

It was quiet. She didn’t know if the silence soothed her or terrified her but, either way, she was in it now and she wasn’t planning on breaking it. So, in this quiet space, she sat down on an armchair next to the sofa Blue was on and just… stayed there, breathing.  

 

 

The familiar scent of wood, candles and the terrible cologne Tammy’s husband uses always ironically brought comfort to her. Whenever Debbie visited her house, she would always complain about it without fail, and it always brought a smile to her best friend’s face. It was a smile of acknowledgement, towards the fact that, despite both their terrible taste in romantic partners, they always had their friendship to lean on, and quite frankly, it saved both their lives. Their bond’s only constant change was how their bond strengthened with time.  

 

It genuinely astounded her how Tammy… _endured_ her, mainly during these past couple of years. So many things happened to the both of them, and yet Tammy still was there for her,  no matter how bad she, herself, felt. 

 

“I can hear you thinking.” 

 

Debbie practically jumped out of the chair, clutching a hand to her chest before glaring at the woman. 

 

“Jesus, Blue, you need to stop doing that.” 

 

“Stop doing what? Waking up from pain-induced unconsciousness?” 

 

“Yeah well, if that means not giving me a heart attack then so be it.” 

 

Blue let out an airy chuckle, lifting up her arm to let her head rest on it. 

 

 

“Sheesh, so artists really are rude, have not sense of privacy _and_ harsh. Could’ve fooled me.” She clicks her tongue in faux-disapproval, before trying to sit up. Before she could sit up fully, however, face contorted in pain and she laid back down. 

 

Before the woman could try again, Debbie was already at her side, on her knees, helping her sit up and placing a pillow at the base of her back for support, “Yeah well one has the right to act that way after waking up to a complete stranger in her bed.” 

 

There was a beat of silence. 

 

“The world works in mysterious ways, darling.”  

 

 

 _Darling._ Oh, what a strong love-hate relationship she had with that word. A word that sends her mind spiralling.  

 

 

 _The air_ _in the room was cold_ _and stale, with the room_ _’s lighting reflecting it’s eeriness. It was very dimly lit, too much so, and Debbie could barely make out any details save for a table with piles of paints and other art supplies on it._ _A flash_ _of light flickered through the window, but she brushed it off. Probably some car driving by._ _The wind howled outside the window, like a feral creature wished to get in, banging on the glass in an erratic rhythm._  

 

 _It was one of the most relieving moments she ever felt._  

 

 _Her_ _body was laden with cuts and bruises, more places felt sore than not_ _. She was in_ bad _shape and yet… she had a smile on her face for the first time in a very long while._ _She honestly couldn’t remember the last time she smiled in this place, save for the fake ones she gave him so he wouldn’t do anything to her again._  

 

 _But now? This smile wasn’t a_ _defence_ _mechanism, it wasn’t her last hope to not feel pain again, to not_ feel _again_ _. It was a smile of…_ _hope, maybe? Relief? She honestly didn’t know. But her smile was real either way, whether or not she knew the meaning behind it. It was a case of feeling overwhelmed, not knowing what to do with this newfound sense of freedom. She was almost doubtful, suspicious of this somewhat positive feeling that brewed within her, because these feelings always seemed to be cloaked in a blissful ignorance that, when unveiled, bring forth great pain. But then again, what could he do to her now? He was behind solid metal bars, after all._  

 

 _The wind seemed to stop_ _, reflecting the confusing feeling that slowly diffused within her; and in this silence, she took a breath and went to turn on the lights._  

 

 _Her hand slid up the wall to find a switch but… it caught on something. Something warm, flesh-like._  

 

 _Her heart dropped._  

 

 _Before she could pull away, however,_ _the hand grabbed her by the wrist and she immediately knew who it was. The perfectly smooth hands, absolutely no callouses, and the large ring that her skin memorised the_ _shape of._  

 

 _Claude._  

 

 _“Miss me already, darling?”_  

 

 _“_ Let go of me!” 

 

 _He let out_ _a mirthless chuckles that sent a cold blade through her heart._  

 

 _“Oh, darling, you think I’m real?”_  

 

 

 

 _“_ Darling? Hey, snap out of it.”  

 

Blue shook Debbie at the wrists to try and get her back to reality, and the latter flinched away as if being too close to an open flame. The woman let go. 

 

Her heart was racing yet again, the helpless feeling in her heart freezing in place strongly as if set in stone.  Her eyes were closed shut, trying to will the memory that flooded her mind away, trying her hardest to forget. 

 

She apologized repeatedly to the woman, still refusing to open her eyes. 

 

“What are you apologizing for? Look at me.” 

 

With that, Debbie slowly opened her eyes and looked at her. She gave her a serious expression before placing a hand on the side of her face. 

 

“Whatever just happened, you’re here now. You’re…” she scratched the back of her neck before continuing, “Safe here now, alright?” 

 

She kept her azure gaze on her, before her eyes softened and her lips turned into a warm smile. She removed her hand from Debbie’s cheek and opened her arms, beckoning her towards her. “Come here.” 

 

Debbie gave her a confused look, before leaning into the hug. 

 

Her cheeks were taking on a red hue. Her heart warmed, melting the ice cold feeling she had within it before, slowly but surely. 

 

She felt Blue’s hands rubbing the back of her back and… 

 

Tears began rolling down her face. Silently crying for who she once was and what that person had to endure. For all the pain she went through. For _her._  

 

Feeling the brunette give out silent sobs into her shoulder, Blue could only think one thing. 

 

 

 

‘What have I done?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this chapter! Feedback is always appreciated :)


	4. Was it hesitation?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Lou proceeds to act like a somewhat flustered teenager and then doubts most of the choices she has done lately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! Sorry for the very long wait, life hit me hard. But! I'm here with another chapter. I hope you enjoy reading this!

Her ribs ached terribly, with the wound at her side burning like hell. She wasn’t surprised, to be perfectly frank. Of _course_ he would act that way, no matter the outcome.

 

You do the job? He fucks you over after not paying you enough.

You don’t do the job? Well… she didn’t want to know that answer.

 

He was harsh, ruthless, and frankly an idiot, but he brought with him a fortune. She’d only take risks if it came with a good payday. It’s as simple at that. Tit for tat. She scratches his back and he scratches hers. Give, and take. That’s it. She wouldn’t do anything on a whim, more so if she knew she wouldn’t get anything in return. And she would _know_ if the other’s part of the offer wouldn’t be fulfilled; and, according to the person, she would either simply walk away without a trace or make them pay… both figuratively and literally.

 

Apparently, however, her perception seemed to have dimmed lately. Oh, he sure did return his part of the offer… it’s just that the reward changed from money to getting shoved, kicked in the chest and almost fatally stabbed. Nothing she couldn’t handle, of course. Time heals physical wounds, after all. She wasn’t worried about that. What she was worried about, however, was the woman leaning against her, head on her shoulder that was still damp from the quiet tears that fell from her tired eyes.

 

She was sleeping, mouth ajar that left warm breaths against her neck. That wasn’t the only warmth she felt, though. It was a strange feeling; one of warmth and doubt that settled deep in her heart.

 

Doubt.

 

Since when did she doubt herself? Her choices? The jobs she took?

 

She hated it. Absolutely despised the feeling of doubt and second thoughts. She was taught from day one that hesitation is what got people killed, what made people suffer. Everyday she made a promise to herself that she would brush off any doubt she felt and just finish the job if the pay was good enough. Here, though? Here seems… different.

 

This job would pay better than any job she took, and then some. The conditions were simple and it all seemed easy enough. She would just do the job, and leave. As simple as that. She can just leave, just like how she almost did before the brunette came storming into the ward for them to ‘escape’. It would have been so much more simple if she had left just a _minute_ earlier. Was it hesitation? Maybe, but she chose to not believe that as she staggered out the ward, leaning against the woman that is now sleeping against her. Was it the pain she felt in her ribs? Probably not. She experienced much worse and still escaped in many situations. You know, except for the part where she… passed out right outside the woman’s door. She chooses to ignore that memory to keep her dignity intact.

 

Despite the first escape attempt that failed, she could just leave _now_. The woman is fast asleep and her friend is upstairs. The door is unlocked for God’s sake. So why is she still here?

 

 

She had to ask herself a second time: was it hesitation?

 

 

Steps came from behind her, and she tried peaking from the semi-reclined position she was in. She barely managed due to the sleeping woman leaning against her and she didn’t want to wake her up, but she could assume it was the woman’s friend.

 

“Hey Deb, is everything okay? How is she feeling?”

 

She seemed to have kept walking away from the sofa, after going down the stairs.

 

“Oh I’m just fine,” Blue said, hearing the woman yelp in surprise, “It’s your friend you should be worried about.”

 

She sighs, trying to recover from the fright she just gave her. After a few seconds of silence, she seemed to manage.

 

“Why? Is she okay?” Her voice was laced with concern as she walked towards the two on the couch, with a look of surprise in her eyes as she saw what position they were in on the couch.

 

“Well, the term ‘okay’ is very broad. But,” she lifted her hand before the other could respond, “I don’t really know, to be honest. She came to help me sit up after waking up and she just… seemed to be in another place entirely. When she ‘came back’ she was absolutely terrified, wrenched my hand off of hers.”

 

Blue looked back on what happened, trying to ignore the concern she was feeling, before looking back to the other woman.

 

Her eyes shone with a sharp anger that she didn’t expect to come from such a prim looking woman. Her hands clenched and she could swear that she heard bones pop at the sheer force of it. She seemed to be holding her breath, before letting it out as slowly as she could to calm herself down. Her fiery eyes closed to try and extinguish their flames, and then opened to reveal eyes that, while still looking furious, had an affectionate glint to them as she looked at her friend.

 

“You two must be close.” Blue said, quietly.

 

By that simple look, the warm glint in her eyes, Blue could see that there must have been _so_ much history between the two of them. Both of them knowing everything about the other, for better or for worse.

 

The woman simply nodded, her eyes still locked on the woman.

 

“Yeah, Debbie and I… we go way back.” There was a small upward tug at the corner of her lips. She sat down on the armchair next to the couch, perching on the edge as she rested her elbows in her knees.

 

“Lifetime friends?” She asked and nodded, showing genuine interest.

 

With a slight laugh, the woman said, “Oh yeah, well, kinda. Neither of us know how it happened, to be honest, because we never went to the same school or anything, and we’re on the complete opposite ends of the spectrum personality-wise. Well, opposites attract, I suppose.” Her smile grew, unable to stop herself from talking, “But somehow, despite that, we were still attached at the hip from a young age. When I was 18, and she was 28, I was going through a really rough patch in life and all of sudden there’s this brochure for a new art gallery in the neighbourhood. My mind just thought, ‘why the hell not?’, you know? And I just went.”

 

Her eyes seemed to glaze over as her mind took her to the past. Whether the woman wanted to go back or stay where she is, Blue didn’t know.

 

“It was something that I never expected I would ever experience. I’m not at all well versed in the art world and yet I still seemed to resonate with her pieces. I felt a genuine connection to them even though I had never actually taken interest in art before that time. And lo and behold, the artist was there at the art gallery and I just _had_ to talk to her!”

 

She let out another laugh, “It was so embarrassing. All I said was, “Hi! I’m Tammy.” That’s it… that’s all I said before freezing. Debbie’s face was pure gold, and then she laughed. Not at me, but at the general situation at hand.”

 

“Oh, no Tim-Tam, I was laughing at you for sure.” Her voice was worn and gravelly.

 

Now it was Blue’s turn to jump out of her shell. She even let out a high-pitched yelp, but she used all her will power to ignore that sound she just made.

 

“Not a pleasant feeling, is it?” Debbie said with a half tired and half shit eating grin, her dark brown eyes set on Blue’s… well… blue ones, as she began to get up.

 

Blue didn’t acknowledge the fact that she missed her warmth, even though she most certainly did. She slowly but surely turned herself to sit normally on the couch, wincing slightly, but moving through the pain nonetheless. Her arms involuntarily wrapped around herself; both to support her battered torso and to keep some of Debbie’s warmth.

 

Debbie stretched her arms up, arching her back and consequently lifting up her shirt slightly and exposing part of her midriff.

 

Blue’s eyes were magnetised.

 

She leaned back with her arms still lifted to stretch further, and the pleased sound that came out of her mouth was _obscenely_ inappropriate despite its apparently innocent cause.

 

Blue’s eyes were _magnetised._

 

She wasn’t going to lie to herself, Blue did find Debbie attractive. Hell, who wouldn’t? But that’s something she would worry about another time, if at all. She still, however, was practically gawking at her.

 

After a tick of silence, a sweet laugh swirled around the room, from both Debbie and Tammy.

 

“For such a mysterious lady, you aren’t that subtle, are you Blue?” Debbie said with a mirthful smirk painted on her lips. The way the corner or her eyes crinkled made Blue’s cheeks flush ever so slightly.

 

She puffed her chest out to try and not look as embarrassed as she feels, before wincing terribly at the sharp pain she felt at her ribs. It’s a wonder how she didn’t wince or anything when Debbie was leaning against her.

 

Before she knew it, both of the women were at her side, slowly making her lay back down to not hurt herself further.

 

“It’s alright, I’m fine.” Her tone came out like a moody teenager.

 

Tammy lifted her eyebrows with a laugh and crossed her arms, “Oh, so does feeling _fine,_ ” she lifted her hand to gesture air-quotes at the last words, before crossing her arms back, “mean passing out right outside Debbie’s front door to you?”

 

“So she told you that, huh?” Blue said, pinching the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger as she shook her head slowly. Her hand was covering the growing flush that spread across her cheeks.

 

“Oh yeah. She also told me about how you snore slightly when you’re unconscious and you talk in your sleep.”

 

She shot her head up from her hand, as she could hear Debbie snorting as she tried to hold back a laugh.

 

“I do _what?_ ”

 

Tammy only nods before saying, “I’ll get you some painkillers.”

 

“What? No what do I say-“

 

“Don’t even try. She’s a very hard-headed lady, as sweet as she might seem.” Debbie said, with a tired smile on her face. Tammy did indeed walk away without a word.

 

The brunette rested back against the couch with a sigh, before looking toward Blue.

 

For a few seconds, she simply looked at her, as if trying to read her expression, before looking away.

 

“Hey uh, sorry for having to witness…” she points towards herself, waving her finger in a circle towards her face, “that.”

 

A beat of silence passed, and Debbie looked at her again. This time it was her turn to have a red hue on her cheeks.

 

“And thank you for… you know.” She looked away, while Blue smiled.

 

“For an artist, you really aren’t The extraordinaire when it comes to expressing your mind.” Although the sentence was humorous at face-value, her tone was warm.

 

“No no I’m not bad at that it’s just-“ she let out a breath, “words are… hard.”

 

Blue’s smile grew. Something about this timid side of Debbie made something strike a chord within her.

 

This was… odd, to say the least. This warmth she felt; to say that it was confusing is an understatement. If it were to be explained, it would be the physical manifestation of a paradox. An oxymoron. It brought a gentle smile on her face that usually contained mirthless ones, and yet a strong sense of apprehension still brewed within her. She only knew this woman for less than three days and yet she _understood_. Understood what, exactly? She herself didn’t know.

 

She should go. Keep her safe. But… she’s still here.

 

 

She had to ask herself for a third time: was it hesitation?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are what inspire me to continue writing this. Thank you all who have sent me wonderful comments and left a kudos on my previous chapters! <3


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